Ferro Corp. (Mayfield Heights, Ohio; www.ferro.com) announced that it has completed the sale of the majority of the assets of its Polymer Additives business to Polymer Additives, Inc., a wholly owned portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital, LLC, for approximately $154 million in cash, subject to customary working capital and other purchase price adjustments.
Assets included in the transaction are the company’s four plants in the United States, its manufacturing operation in Newport, U.K., certain assets at the company’s former Baton Rouge, La. plant and its polymer additives research and development lab in Independence, Ohio. The sold U.S. manufacturing sites are located in the following communities: Bridgeport, N.J.; Cleveland, Ohio; Fort Worth, Tex.; and Walton Hills, Ohio.
The company estimates that cash proceeds, net of cash income taxes and fees, from the sale will be approximately $143 million, which it plans to use primarily to repay debt under its revolving credit facility and to fund strategic growth opportunities. The asset sale closed concurrently with the signing of the asset purchase agreement.
Excluded from this transaction are the Company’s Europe-based Polymer Additives assets, including the Antwerp, Belgium dibenzoates manufacturing assets, and related Polymer Additives European headquarters and lab facilities. These assets are currently being marketed.